By Olivia Alderliesten /ANW NOVEMBER 18, 2025
In the quiet northeast of the Netherlands, where the landscape unfolds like a watercolor painting of reeds and waterways, De Alde Feanen national park in Friesland offers a serene antidote to the rush of modern life.
This 4,000-hectare wetland, a remnant of medieval peat-cutting, transforms into a tranquil haven come winter.
As summer crowds of kayakers and boaters fade, the park reveals its subtler charms: misty mornings alive with the calls of over 100 bird species, sightings of otters and roe deer, and skies so clear they’re among the darkest in the country.
It’s a place designed for opfriezen—a Frisian term blending “Friesland” with “freezing,” evoking the joy of embracing the cold in cozy saunas or hot tubs while reconnecting with nature.
Why Winter Here? Slowing Down in a Biodiverse Wonderland
De Alde Feanen isn’t about adrenaline-fueled adventures; it’s for those craving pause. The park’s hay meadows, wetland forests, and labyrinthine canals teem with biodiversity—think marsh thistles, reed orchids, alders, and willows framing lakes dotted with ducks and geese.
Autumn and winter bring migrating flocks and starlit nights, ideal for unwinding. Trails for hiking and cycling wind through the fens, but the real draw is the rhythm: no museums buzzing, no tourist offices humming—just the wind rustling reeds and the occasional honk of a goose.
For families or solo travelers seeking simplicity, accommodations like De Ooievaar cabin hit the mark.
Upcycled from a pandemic-era barn by owner Jurjen Veldboom, this boat-like retreat features a galley kitchen, wooden sleeping platforms, and a living room with a panoramic window overlooking alders where deer playfully bound.
At €176 per night (for two), it’s a wood-burner-warmed nest for sketching, reading, or stargazing.
Evenings might end in the site’s sauna, emerging to a gibbous moon and the cabin aglow like a fairy-tale gingerbread house.
Day Trips: Cycles, Ferries, and Mindful Walks
Start easy: A 15-minute stroll from the cabin leads to Earnewâld, the park’s gateway village of dollhouse cottages. At Princenhof Hotel, savor salty fish soup while watching cargo boats glide by.
For deeper immersion, rent e-bikes (€25 per person/day) from Hollema in the village. A 50km loop traces the park’s eastern edge, past shell-crunchy paths evoking 19th-century Dutch paintings—endless skies, birch-dotted fields, and clouds like crumpled paper.
Hop foot-and-bike ferries across bridgeless waters (a whimsical highlight: cows ferrying alongside or swans escorting your ride).
Detour to Beetsterzwaag for palatial homes and lunch at De Witte Huis—crispy chips and mustard soup with sausage slivers fuel the return through golden beech forests and rosy rushes.
For mindfulness, try the new 5km walking trail launched this summer. Borrow a physical guide (Dutch/German for now; English version pending) from project coordinator Jannie Slot, and follow prompts to tune into the wind, practice bird-inspired yoga, or gaze at sunlit ditches. At dawn, with rain-kissed ground and a bronze-glow sunrise, it feels profound.
Ascend the observation tower for panoramic views: golden-brown expanses, distant towns, and geese at eye level, underscored by a lone windmill’s glint.
It’s a reminder of the park’s frogbit plant—retreating underwater in winter, only to bloom anew—mirroring our need to rest and reflect.
Practicalities: Getting There and Beyond
From London, Eurostar to Amsterdam (new fifth direct weekday service from December 15; returns from £78) connects via train and bus to Earnewâld (20 minutes south-east of Leeuwarden).
Self-drive from Leeuwarden station via Greenwheels car hire for flexibility. Stay two nights at De Ooievaar from €352 total. Explore more at np-aldefeanen.
This isn’t a checklist holiday; it’s an invitation to be. In a world of constant motion, De Alde Feanen whispers: slow down, breathe, and let the fens heal.
Whether sketching herons, ferry-hopping with swans, or sauna-steaming under stars, Friesland’s wetlands prove winter wonders needn’t be loud to be magical.